Vittorio Colao, CEO of Vodafone Group, played down the possibility that the company could merge with Verizon Communications in order to resolve the impasse that has been reached with regard to Verizon Wireless, telling the audience at a Goldman Sachs conference that “theoretically, conceptually, it’s an option, but practically it’s less likely than the [alternatives].” The more likely options, Colao suggested, are a complete split from the company, or the resumption of dividend payments from Verizon Wireless to both of its parents.